Cinema can help audiences deal with radical changes in identity; it carries them across layers of cultural transformation so that a more or less coherent national identity remains intact, spanning cracks that threaten to disrupt its movement and expose its essential disjointedness.

Princess Mononoke, an animated feature by renowned director Hayao Miyazaki, offers this argument in the film. Despite the film’s fantasy element, the story revolves around a time during feudal Japan when the realm of the supernatural lives side by side with the world of men. Conflict arises when men begin to destroy the environment by extracting natural resources excessively challenging the forest gods along the way. The story begins with a warrior prince named Ashitaka who encounters with the boar god on a rampage and threatens the safety of the villagers. He battles the creature, eventually killing it. However the prince, who was injured in the process now bears the creature’s curse after it was revealed that the boar was one of the forest god turned into a demon by men’s weapons. Ashitaka's journey eventually leads him to a fortress-like city named Irontown. The people of Irontown, under the rule of Lady Eboshi, have been mining iron from within a nearby mountain. It is with this iron that they are able to manufacture early forms of rifles, crude by today's standards, but very devastating nonetheless. The mining, however, has resulted in the destruction of the forest, which once covered the mountainside. The creatures of the forest are not pleased with being driven from their homes, none more than Moro, a giant wolf god, and her adopted human daughter, San. San has been repeatedly attacking the humans of Irontown in an attempt to drive them away. Ashitaka, though, believes that the humans and animals can get along peacefully and this lands him squarely in the middle of the conflict. Miyazaki presents the audience with a universe filled with difficult choices, which, very often, do not have easy answers. For instance, he makes it clear how actions that are morally praiseworthy when looked at from one perspective may be reprehensible when seen from another. He even manages to remind the viewer that an action's being right or wrong does not necessarily depend upon the supposed moral worth of the person towards whom that act is directed. A hurtful deed is shown to be as potentially reprehensible when committed upon a wicked person as it is when done to one who is virtuous. Such meditations are not, however, included in the film in a heavy-handed or overtly didactic manner but are, instead subtly incorporated into the structure of the narrative itself. In fact, the presence of such quandaries gives the movie a depth it would not have had without them.

Princess Mononoke reflects the anxiety that is felt not only in contemporary Japan but also in developing countries around the world that attempt to transform themselves to a modern societies in the presence of technological advancement that is constantly evolving. Although the story seems like a simple tale of humankind versus nature, there are many layers which complicate things. Multiple conflicts abound with humans against humans, humans against nature and even nature against itself. What the film offers is an alternative world that contrasts with the idealized myth of harmony, progress and unproblematic society, the film offers a vision of cultural dissonance, spiritual loss and environmental apocalypse.

After months of waiting since the release of Room 237 trailer,i finally got to watch it.Room 237, a documentary feature directed by Rodney Ascher explores numerous theories about Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining' and it's hidden meaning. I myself am not a fan of horror flick but since it was a Kubrick film,i had to see it. I find the film to be both disturbingly scary and fascinating. Who could forget the iconic moment of little Danny riding on his tricycle through the corridors of the Overlook Hotel and confronts the infamous Grady twins.

In case you were wondering, Room 237 refers to the room in the Overlook Hotel claimed by the hotel's caretaker to be haunted, and avoided at all cost. Danny's curiosity about room 237 gets the better of him when he sees the room's door open. All hell breaks loose after that.Personally,I think it's one of the the most remarkable filmmaking work in cinema history ,with the its stunning use of steady cam and brilliant execution of atmospheric sound/noises in creating the psychological space for the film.

Anyway,back to the documentary..

When i first saw the film,i knew there was something cryptic about it. I knew the film has a historical content attached to it, because there was a mention of the hotel built on top of a Native Indian burial ground.Apart from that, we are constantly reminded about the past, when apparitions appear in a form of the murdered Grady twins, the mysterious bartender Lloyd whom Jack Torrence (Jack Nicholson) had conversations with, and not to forget, the murderous caretaker himself, Delbert Grady confronting Jack and reminding him that he ( Jack) had always been the caretaker. It was almost like an obituary of the building's violent history, that somehow manifested within the walls of the hotel. The ideas about The Shining as a meditation on historical guilt and the return of the repressed are powerful.

Room 237 proved my suspicious when it revealed, that there were others who have developed far-reaching theories and believe they have decoded the hidden symbols and messages buried in the late director's film. Carefully examining The Shining inside out, and forwards and backwards, Room 237 gives voice to the fans and scholars who espouse these theories, reworking the film to match their ideas and intercutting it with layers of dreamlike imagery to illustrate their streams of consciousness.They are convinced the characters' dialogue, their clothing and even the pattern of the Overlook's carpet are codes. Breaking those cryptic clues, they argue, reveals hidden messages about the genocide of America's indigenous people, the Nazi's Final Solution and even an admission the 1969 Moon Landing was faked. I was blown away by these theories ,that it prompted me to watch the movie all over again and forge my own research and theories.

I think that was the point of the whole documentary. That a well crafted film, could withstand the test of time. The brilliance and craftsmanship of Stanley Kubrick, the ambiguity in his work, still captivates audiences till this day.

I was just taking a break from work when i caught the last few minutes of Mad Men season 5 Finale episode on the FX channel. I just love the way they shot the last scene with Nancy Sinantra's You Only Live Twice' music in playing in the background.The scene begins with Don leaving the film set (where Meagan was shooting her commercial) walking as the camera tracks and ends up at a bar alone ordering a drink. An attractive blonde asks him for a light and points to her friend at the end. 'My friend wants to know if you're alone.' Don slowly turns his head toward the beautiful brunette, a signature smirk on his handsome face. Before he could answer, the season ended in a brilliant cliffhanger.

It was epic.

I don't what it is....Maybe its because Skyfall just opened in cinemas and there's been a lot of Bond frenzy lately.Or perhaps 'You only Live Twice' is one of my two favorite Bond theme song,with the other one being 'Diamonds are Forever' by Shirley Bassey...I just love that cliffhanger.To tell you the truth,i don't follow Mad Men religiously. But i've watched enough episodes to understand the drama that's been going on throughout the seasons, especially Don Draper's character and story development. Don Draper could always be counted on for one thing: seducing women. But the beginning of season 5, it looked as if his womanizing days were over when he married his second love, the stunning and wise Meagan. But something happened and all bets are off. If you follow the show, you'd understand what's Don's smirk represent. I'm really excited to see what the creator have install for for the next season.

I really appreciate the originality of the show. You can tell that the creator did a lot of research in portraying the hey days of the advertising industry set during that era by looking at the production value of the show; the costume design,make up, set design, cultural/political/historical references etc. With good storytelling and strong cast,it's one of the best shows i've seen so far. And being in advertising myself, i understand the dramas that goes around behind closed door of the advertising world.

Apart from the advertising and office politics references ,the show was nostalgic. It reminded me a lot about P.Ramlee, about the music back in the days, the black/white films, women in traditional kebaya dresses , prima donnas like Maria Menado, Sarimah and of course, Saloma.